Dear Journal:
According to a newspaper, Boston was recently set ablaze; apparently much of the city was damaged greatly and Aphrodisia and I hope and pray for every soul who was lost in that fire. We often find ourselves worrying about our welfare here, in Charles Town. We pray that we be kept safe from any disaster.
The French and Indian War, we hope, will end soon. It has been going on for a few years now, and Aphrodisia is very nervous and unruly at the moment. I suspect that she is worried about the war. I, too, wish the war would end so I can see my wife's carefree, beautiful face again.
Aphrodisia has had her heart set on bringing a child into the world; however, I worry that it is unhealthy for her to be so determined when we are not even sure if it is possible for vampires to give birth. I am afraid to tell her this -- that maybe it is impossible for her to bear a child -- but I don't think I can bring myself to. She is very unhappy, and I suspect she feels guilty that she cannot conceive. I wish she wouldn't worry so.
Even if we cannot have a child, I will not be distraught. I just want what's best for Aphrodisia. I just want her to smile again. I am very worried about her.
Au Revoir,
Melatiah
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Aphrodisia could not stand it. She had been so happy. She'd had everything. And now, all the happiness had left her, and she felt like she just didn't have enough of anything. She wanted a cherry on top of her slice of life. A child.
Was it that she just didn't deserve it? Was it bad karma coming back to haunt her? Could it be the fact that a bloodthirsty murderer didn't deserve such an innocent human being? She considered each of the possibilities.
It was shameful, being unable to provide Melatiah with a son. Or a daughter. It was considered a wifely duty to give her husband a large family. Feeling worthless, helpless, and hopeless, Aphrodisia sighed, trying to hold back tears. She knew, deep down inside, that her vampirism was the reason she was not with child. If only there were a cure!
Melatiah probably regrets marrying me, she mused. He probably wants to divorce me. I guess I wouldn't blame him. If I were him, I would want a woman who could bear me a child. Me, I'm like a dead tree. I have nothing to give my husband. I have no worth to him at all.
Looking at the red bottle she gripped tightly in her hand, Aphrodisia stifled a sob. She had purchased the bottle just yesterday at the town's apothecary's shop. He had given her the deadliest poison he had, at her request.
"My dear Melatiah deserves someone much better than I. He deserves a child. A child I... I cannot give him." Aphrodisia bit her lip.
Giving the world one last glimpse, she brought the ruby bottle to her lips and drank every last drop of the burning liquid...
"Huh?" Aphrodisia drew in a breath of air. "What happened?" She looked at the bottle in her hand. "How come I'm still alive?" She felt fantastic. She felt the most alive she had ever been in her life. She felt vibrant and radiant. She looked at her hand. For the first time in many years, Aphrodisia saw peachy pink fingers. No more pasty, bluish skin. It was as if she were a butterfly emerged from a cocoon. She rushed to a mirror.
"My goodness," Aphrodisia gasped. Touching her cheek, she giggled in girlish wonder. "I'm human again!" She admired her pink face, reddened cheeks, and salmon lips. She stared in the mirror and saw natural eyes. "Normal eyes!"
Aphrodisia laughed and smiled, feeling like jumping and running. Her fangs were gone and so was the strange mark on her neck. Finally, she felt a hunger for real food! The longing for blood had disappeared completely.
She dashed out into the sun and danced with joy. No longer did she feel the energy seeping away from her because she was in direct sunlight!
It dawned on Aphrodisia that she would now be able to have a child. She stood taller and pulled her shoulders back and felt the warmth of the sun on her face. "Thank you," she whispered, so quietly that the words were inaudible even to her.
At hearing Melatiah behind her, Aphrodisia readied herself to speak to him.
Melatiah stared at his wife, mouth agape. "Aphrodisia, your skin-"
"I'm human again." Aphrodisia said shyly.
"This is wonderful, dear! But how? Why?"
Aphrodisia could barely look at her husband. "Well, I cannot believe what I was about to do..." She saddened at the memory. "I almost killed myself. I nearly took my life. Just a few minutes ago. But, I guess the poison was actually a cure for vampirism. I did not believe there was even a cure!"
"What? You tried to -- to -- kill yourself?" The look in Melatiah's eyes was heartbreaking to Aphrodisia. "Why would you do that?" He grew angry. "Why would you try to take your life? What about the life we have made together for ourselves? Was it not good enough? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no! It wasn't about you. Well, actually, it was. But I did not think I was good enough for you."
"Aphrodisia, I love you. I married you because I love you more than anything. I chose to spend my life with you."
"You don't understand, Melatiah. It's a wife's duty to give her husband a family. And I couldn't do that for you. I thought you deserved better. I didn't want to waste your time..."
Melatiah stroked her cheek. "If you cannot bear a child, I will still be happy because I have you. Can't you see that? I love you so much -- that's all I care about right now. You are my beautiful wife and I married you because I love you with all of my heart -- not because you would have a child. And it would be our child, not mine! You would be providing us with a child, not me!"
Aphrodisia smiled. "Oh, Melatiah! I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about how I felt. I should have talked to you about all of this long before I bought that bottle. I hope you can forgive me."
"Of course I can forgive you. I love you!"
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It all seemed so perfect. Aphrodisia's life had turned around in mere seconds. But as she was "physically" twenty years old (she had become a vampire when she was twenty), a few months after she was cured of vampirism, Aphrodisia woke up to a shocking surprise one day.
Wrinkles around her mouth had appeared, and Aphrodisia nearly screamed.
"How could this happen? I'm but 'twenty' years old!"
To look like she was ten years older or even double her age was unsettling to her. What happened to looking vibrant and radiant? She didn't necessarily feel very great either.
There was something going on, and Aphrodisia was fearful of what it was...
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*The Antique Legacy*
Melatiah DeCuir
O_O
ReplyDeleteOkay first, I loved Melatiah's reaction was reminding her that he loved her for her, and didn't care about the other stuff. x3
Second, OH MY GOODNESS!!! I hope she's not having her age catch up with her. I hope... things go okay.